MY FIRST YEAR STUDENT EXPERIENCE

MY FIRST YEAR STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Nokwanda Ncwane

Growing up, I'd always hear unpleasant stories about students in general, more especially those who lived in student residences. I know quite a number of people in my community who went to institutions of higher learning and lived in places far away from home. They all have something in common, they didn't come back home with diplomas/degrees however, they returned with babies. Yes, they would fall pregnant in their first or second year of studies and will eventually drop out in order to raise the babies. So, to me institutions of higher learning and student residences were this evil monster that corrupted our brothers and sisters as soon as they were not under the guidance of  their parents.

Having applied to study in one of the universities in Durban and to live in a student residence, I feared I would succumb to the pressure as well. Start drinking, be a regular in clubs and parties, start having unprotected sex with multiple partners for the sake of benefits and be friends with people that are a bad influence. These are things I thought a typical student does. Those were all my fears.

When our academic year began and I slowly got used to the idea of living in a student residence. I realised that the stories I'd heard growing up were based on people who abused their freedom, who somehow failed to learn from other people's mistakes and failed to prioritize.

So, here are a few things that helped me survive my first year.

1. PUT GOD (OR WHOEVER YOU BELIEVE IN) FIRST

In everything that you do, put God first. Pray everyday, when you wake up in the morning, before you go to campus, when you do your assignments. Go to church and join religious student bodies in your campus or residence.

2. FOCUS

I found that If you're focused on your goal ( which is to graduate in record time) and you constantly remind yourself of the reasons why you enrolled in the first place, chances of you slacking or getting derailed are less. Attend classes, work hard, start working on your assignments early and respect deadlines.

3. CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY
Being an introvert and a loner, one of the goals I had in the past year was to make friends and to learn to co-exist. I found myself being part of a group of six friends.

Some of them didn't attend classes, did not do their classwork and homework, they would do assignments on the eve of the submission date, they always made me feel guilty for spending most of my time at the library and would call me a nerd. I almost thought there's something wrong with me for being studious. I feared that if I walk out of the group I'd have failed to achieve my goal and I didn't want to go back to being a loner and socially awkward. Eventually, towards the end of the first semester, I changed my friends. I attracted the right ones for me, who were studious just like me.  

I realised that most of the time, the people you associate with and the environment you're exposed to have a very big influence on you as an individual. 

Be friends with people that are good for your soul, people that will empower you and encourage you to do better. Choose friends that you share the same values with, people that are honest enough to tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. Most importantly be friends with people who are doing better than you so that you can learn from them.

4. BUDGET

It's important to learn to manage your money. Draw up a budget a few weeks before you get your allowance (as most students are funded by NSFAS). When drawing up your budget, start with the basic needs (such as toiletries and food) then you can include other things like airtime, entertainment and clothing items. Always make sure you never spend your allowance the same day you get it.

From the +R1400 monthly allowance most students get, you can actually save a minimum of R200 or the +R400 per month. Depending on your needs, how you spend and what you spend on.

If you start this year, you can actually fix the amount you choose to save for 36 months (the 3 years you'll spend in university). It will come in handy when you're preparing for your graduation and when you're job hunting.

5. ABC (ABSTAIN, BE FAITHFUL AND CONDOMISE)

You're done with high school, you're away from home, you feel like an adult and you think it's finally time to lose your virginity. Before engaging in sexual activities be sure that you are ready and mature enough to deal with the consequences.

If you already have a partner and he/she feels that you can start having sex now, I advise you both to visit the clinic on campus. Seek counselling,test for HIV/AIDS and take other tests for all sexually related infections and diseases. Also find out what contraception methods are there and which one will be suitable for you. Then from there, you can decide if you want to go ahead and do the deed.

For those that are already sexually active, this might sound cliché but please have protected sex, use contraceptives and refrain from having many sexual partners because this increases your chances of contracting HIV and STI's. 

6. HAVE EXTRA MURAL ACTIVITIES

Do something that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of college or university education. Join the athletics, play football, soccer, hockey, do aerobics and rock climbing. This will help you lead a healthy life, contribute to physical fitness, reduce stress and help you relax. Sport builds self-discipline and helps us to adhere to social rules for the common good.

7. HAVE A COPING MECHANISM
When the going gets tough and you feel that everything is becoming too much, make use of the student counselling facility in your institution of higher learning.

Find something that will help take your mind off whatever it is that is stressing you. Just make sure it's safe, legal and won't cause you to lack on your academics.

8. DATE WHEN YOU'RE READY
Don't date because you feel lonely, you want to impress your friends or you want to prove a point to somebody. Date because you are ready and you want to. There's also no harm done if you're not romantically involved. You're not obligated to have a relationship and to start having sex on your first year of studies.

However, when you do decide to start dating refrain from having relationships with married and older men for the sake of owning material things. Be mindful that every decision you make today has an impact on your future. Whether it adds value in your life or takes you 10 steps backwards, it's up to you to decide. Life has no manual. Do what feels right and also take into consideration the consequences of every decision you make and how it will affect you and your loved ones.

I hope my experience helps you adapt, cope and make the best of your first year in university. Don't forget to have fun and be responsible.

Kumnyama kweziMnyama

UNtsikelelo Nyauza okwesokunxele, egadulisana noLeonardo Castro okwesokudla, emdlalweni weligi obungempelasonto. Isithombe abe supersport.com

Nokwanda Ncwane

Liqhubekile ishobolo lokunganqobi imidlalo elibhekene neqembu i-Orlando Pirates kulandela ukushawa izimbangi zayo ezinkulu iKaizer Chiefs emdlalweni womkhaya lezi zinkunzi zase Soweto ebezitholene kuwo ngoMgqibelo, eFNB Stadium.

Kulo mdlalo bekulindeleke ukuthi eziMnyama zibuyise izinduku kwazise ziwashiswe ijezi yiyo iKazier Chiefs emdlalweni womkhumula jezi we Telkom Knockout ngesonto eledlule. Lo mdlalo ububanjelwe eMoses Mabhida Stadium eThekwini. Amakhosi anqoba lo mdlalo sekukhahlelwa amaphenathi, ngemuva kokudlala ngokulingana.

Isiwombe sokuqala sivule ngegoli lika Ntsikelelo Nyauza okube umkhonto ogwaze ekhaya, kwalandela elika Leonardo Castro elenze yahamba phambili iChiefs ngamagoli amabili eqandeni. UVincent Pule uvalele phakathi i free kick ayizwe ngendaba unozinti weChiefs, uDaniel Akpeyi, ngomzuzu wama-39. Isiwombe sokuqala siphele Abafana bokuThula noXolo behamba phambili ngamagoli amabili kwelilodwa.

EziMnyama zibuye zingabaselwe esiwombeni sesibili zakha amathuba kubonakala zifuna ukuwunqoba umdlalo. UGabadinho Mhango wazo eziMnyama ulivalele enethini elokulinganisa ngomzuzu wama-60. Injabulo yeBhakaniya iqedwe uDaniel Cardoso ngomzuzu wama-84, evalela phakathi iphenathi Amakhosi ayithole ngemuva kokudlaliswa kabi ebhokisini kuka Bernard Parker. Amakhosi anqobe lo mdlalo ngamagoli amathathu kwamabili, ahamba nawo wonke amaphuzu amathathu.

Ephawula ngemuva komdlalo umqeqeshi weziMnyama ukhale ngamathuba ezakhe eziwatholile kepha zangawasebenzisa ngendlela. Uphinde wagxeka isenzo sabadlali sokubambana ngezihluthu enkundleni nokuholele ekutheni athole ikhadi elibomvu umdlali wasemuva weChiefs uEric Mathoho.
"Kubalulekile ukuthi abaqeqeshi bakhulume nabadlali bamaqembu abo mayelana nokuziphatha kahle enkundleni, bangaziphathisi okwezixhwanguxhwangu." kusho uRhulani Mokwena.

EziMnyama zilele endaweni yesishiyagalolunye ngamaphuzu ayi-13 ngemuva kwemidlalo eyi-11. Izimbangi zayo ezinkulu, Amakhosi aqhwakele esicongweni se log ngamaphuzu angama-28 ngemuva kwemidlalo eyi-11. Amakhosi avule igebe lamaphuzu ayishumi njengoba elandelwa iMamelodi Sundowns elele isibili, ngamaphuzu ayi-18 ngemuva kwemidlalo eyishumi.

DUT RAISES AWARENESS ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

DUT students in the silent protest against Gender-Based Violence at Ritson Campus. Picture by: Sibonginkosi Mabika

Nokwanda Ncwane

Hundreds of students from the Durban University of Technology gathered at the Ritson Campus to take part in the silent protest against Gender-Based Violence on Wednesday, 21 August 2019.

Before the protest, there was a dialogue and a Q&A session about Gender-Based Violence. There was a gloomy and tense atmosphere as victims shared their stories of the various forms of abuse they have been subjected to.

Zola Mdlalose an HIV/AIDS Counsellor who facilitated the dialogue session said "The aim of the protest is to allow victims to speak up about what they're going through, to let them know about facilities they can utilise in order to get through their painful experiences,"
"Because our facilities are limited, if we can't help the victims we refer them to Psychiatrists in the Addington, King Edward Hospital and crisis centres in Durban," the Winterton Residence Ambassador added.

Mandisa Khwela, a UKZN student said we often encourage women to stand up for themselves and walk out of abusive relationships but the moment they do, they're brutally murdered by their partners. "The law enforcement agencies have blood on their hands because they only take action once a person has been killed. A protection order is just a piece of paper, it doesn't do anything to protect the victim from the perpetrator,"

"We as members of the LGBTI+ community are abused by heterosexual people who throw homophobic comments and subject us to corrective rape. At the end of the day, sexual orientation does not define an individual," she continued to say.

"I gained a lot today and also saw that a lot more needs to be done to educate society about Gender-Based Violence. We need to create safe spaces for people to share their stories," said Sondelani Mwandla, a DUT student.

The protest was hosted by the university's HIV/AIDS Centre and the Student Counselling and Health department. The protest was within the Ritson Campus.

ORLANDO PIRATES HEAD COACH RESIGNS

Orlando Pirates Head coach, Milutin Sredojevíc who resigned on Friday night.
Image: Orlando Pirates Media

Nokwanda Ncwane

Orlando Pirates has announced that Head coach, Milutin Sredojevíc has resigned on Friday, for personal reasons he did not disclose, after spending two seasons in charge of the Buccaneers.

A statement issued by the club on their official webiste stated "The club would like to place on record that this decision was taken unilaterally, and it was the management's decision to accept Mr Sredojevíc to vacate his position based on reasons he has presented which are of a personal nature."

"Rhulani Mokwena assumes coaching responsibilities assisted by Fadlu Davids and Franck Plaine." The statement continued to read.

Bidding farewell to the fans Micho said "I would like to take this moment to thank the supporters, the spiritual owners of Orlando Pirates and the chairman of the club, Dr Irvin Khoza. I wholeheartedly appreciate all the 740 days that we have spent together."

"I really value and appreciate each and every moment spent with you and as we are always saying, once and always." He continued to say.

Under Micho, the Soweto giants ended runner-ups in the league to Mamelodi Sundowns in the past two seasons. They also reached the final of last season's Telkom Knockout competition and lost to Baroka FC on penalties. In the 80 games that he was in charge of the club across all competitions, Orlando Pirates won 35 games, drawing 26 and losing 16.

According to Football  256, an online publication that extensively covers Ugandan football and Africa at large, Milutin has been appointed as Head coach of Egyptian club, Zamalek and the club president Mortada Mansour has confirmed the news. However, there is no official statement that has been issued by the club confirming the news.

Zozibini Tunzi: Miss South Africa 2019

Zozibini Tunzi, the 2019 crowned Miss South Africa.   Image from Twitter/Zozi Tunzi.

Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned the 2019 Miss South Africa on National Women's Day at Sun Arena in Time Square, Pretoria.

Tunzi, a 25 year old who is completing her BTech in Public Relations is originally from Tsolo, Transkei in the Eastern Cape, currently living in Cape Town. She represented the Western Cape Province in the Miss SA Contest.

The theme for this year's pageant was Dreamwalkers and the pageant aimed to break out of the narrow idea of what it means to be beautiful  and what it means to be a beauty queen. The organisers loosened the rules to make this year's competition more inclusive, embracing imperfections and the more typical, larger South African figure as there were two contestants labelled plus size according to the industry standards.

Many took to Twitter to congratulate the newly crowned beauty queen. Amongst others was Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa who tweeted "Congratulations to @ZoziTunzi for taking the #MissSA2019 crown. We were inspired by how you addressed questions around the paradigm shift necessary to pursue gender equality and we look forward to seeing you use this platform to be a positive influence and fly our flag high."

Zozibini is the 61st Miss South Africa and is taking over from last year's winner, Tamaryn Green also from the Western Cape who did exceptionally well during her reign scoring a runner-up spot at Miss Universe.